The Roborovski hamster, also known as the Desert hamster is the smallest breed of hamster with adults reaching 1-2 inches in length. They are sandy-brown with a white stomach and white marks over their eyes but do not have the same dorsal stripe as other dwarf hamsters. They are native to the Gobi Desert, the desert steppe of Mongolia and parts of Kazakhstan, Russia and Northern China.
Roborovski Hamsters have the longest hamster lifespan at around 3-3.5 years. They are very quick and agile, which can make handling difficult. It is important to get them accustomed to handling from an early age, as it can be difficult to tame older animals. They are very social and providing they have been introduced at a young age should be kept in same-sex pairs.
Wired cages can be escaped from and so Roborovski hamsters will need a tank environment a minimum of 50cm by 30cm for a pair. They should be provided with a solid-based wheel and plenty of deep substrate for digging since they prefer tunnelling to climbing. They should be given plenty of nests and gnawing material. They can also be given a sand bath; sand baths can be offered for a few hours an evening and then removed, as they will otherwise become fouled.
Their diet can be a normal hamster mix, although some of the larger pellets may need to be broken up with a mortar and pestle. This can be supplemented with fresh fruit and veg, although never too large amounts as this can cause diarrhoea.
Colours
Roborovski Hamsters currently come in agouti (also known as normal), Husky Roborovski (Recessive White Faced Gene), The White-Faced Roborovski (Dominant White Faced Gene),Husky (white face), Marbled (also known as pied/spotted/mottled) and Platinum (all white). Some variations are extremely rare and will not be available in all countries.
Roborovski Hamster can also have red eyes, sometimes known as Rust/Cinammon types.
Breeding
Due to the over-abundance of hamsters in rescue centres breeding should be considered very carefully and only undertaken by experienced rodent keepers.
The following information is derived from my own research, and not personal experience and should not be considered as an definitive list. Please remember that your females should not be bred for the first time too young, or too old and it is important to give the female a resting period between litters. Back-to-back litters, with no resting period will take a huge toll on a female and will drastically shorten her lifespan.
It is also important to check whether the male can be left in with the litter or must be removed and to research the proper introduction methods for mating. The nest and pups should not be disturbed for the first 14 days due to the possibility that this could upset the mother and lead to her killing her young.
Please see when to breed rodents: ethics and care for more information.
Roborovski hamsters reach sexual maturity at 5 weeks but should not breed until at least 4 months of age. They are seasonal breeders which means the female usually will not breed until the year after she was born in early spring.
Gestation of Roborovski hamsters is the longest of any hamster at 20-22 days and the female will often become aggressive towards the male and banish him from the nest in the days proceeding the birth. Litter sizes are around 4-6.
Roborovski pups are weaned at 21 days and can then be separated out into same-sex groups. They can go to new homes at 6-7 weeks.
Further reading
- Robrovski Hamsters: a site completely devoted to Roborvski hamsters
- Sexing Roborovski Hamsters
- Roborvski Hamster Colours